Relevant Issues (2 of 26)
Why are some issues greyed out?
The SASB Standards vary by industry based on the different sustainability-related risks and opportunities within an industry. The issues in grey were not identified during the standard-setting process as the most likely to be useful to investors, so they are not included in the Standard. Over time, as the ISSB continues to receive market feedback, some issues may be added or removed from the Standard. Each company determines which sustainability-related risks and opportunities are relevant to its business. The Standard is designed for the typical company in an industry, but individual companies may choose to report on different sustainability-related risks and opportunities based on their unique business model.-
Environment
- GHG Emissions
- Air Quality
- Energy Management
- Water & Wastewater Management
- Waste & Hazardous Materials Management
- Ecological Impacts
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Social Capital
- Human Rights & Community Relations
- Customer Privacy
- Data Security
- Access & Affordability
- Product Quality & Safety
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Customer Welfare
The category addresses customer welfare concerns over issues including, but not limited to, health and nutrition of foods and beverages, antibiotic use in animal production, and management of controlled substances. The category addresses the company’s ability to provide consumers with manufactured products and services that are aligned with societal expectations. It does not include issues directly related to quality and safety malfunctions of manufactured products and services, but instead addresses qualities inherent to the design and delivery of products and services where customer welfare may be in question. The scope of the category also captures companies’ ability to prevent counterfeit products. -
Selling Practices & Product Labeling
The category addresses social issues that may arise from a failure to manage the transparency, accuracy, and comprehensibility of marketing statements, advertising, and labeling of products and services. It includes, but is not limited to, advertising standards and regulations, ethical and responsible marketing practices, misleading or deceptive labeling, as well as discriminatory or predatory selling and lending practices. This may include deceptive or aggressive selling practices in which incentive structures for employees could encourage the sale of products or services that are not in the best interest of customers or clients.
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Human Capital
- Labor Practices
- Employee Health & Safety
- Employee Engagement, Diversity & Inclusion
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Business Model and Innovation
- Product Design & Lifecycle Management
- Business Model Resilience
- Supply Chain Management
- Materials Sourcing & Efficiency
- Physical Impacts of Climate Change
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Leadership and Governance
- Business Ethics
- Competitive Behavior
- Management of the Legal & Regulatory Environment
- Critical Incident Risk Management
- Systemic Risk Management
Disclosure Topics
What is the relationship between General Issue Category and Disclosure Topics?
The General Issue Category is an industry-agnostic version of the Disclosure Topics that appear in each SASB Standard. Disclosure topics represent the industry-specific impacts of General Issue Categories. The industry-specific Disclosure Topics ensure each SASB Standard is tailored to the industry, while the General Issue Categories enable comparability across industries. For example, Health & Nutrition is a disclosure topic in the Non-Alcoholic Beverages industry, representing an industry-specific measure of the general issue of Customer Welfare. The issue of Customer Welfare, however, manifests as the Counterfeit Drugs disclosure topic in the Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals industry.
General Issue Category
(Industry agnostic)
(Industry agnostic)
Disclosure Topics (Industry specific) for: Tobacco
Customer Welfare
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Public Health
Tobacco use can lead to serious health risks as established by many scientific studies over the past several decades. Health problems associated with tobacco include lung disease, cancer, and heart disease. Tobacco product manufacturers have faced lawsuits from individuals, governments, corporations, and other groups. In some cases, these have resulted in multibillion-dollar settlements. A growing public awareness of the associated health risks has driven down tobacco use dramatically in many countries. Tobacco product manufacturers are introducing an array of “harm reduction” products, such as non-tobacco nicotine products and heated tobacco products, aimed at minimising the health impacts of tobacco use while accessing new markets. Future scientific studies could reach new conclusions on these assertions of reduced harm, with continuing impacts on entity revenue and growth potential.
Selling Practices & Product Labeling
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Marketing Practices
Tobacco product labelling and marketing is heavily regulated internationally. The World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control has led many countries to introduce new, stricter regulatory approaches to prevent people from adopting tobacco use at a young age through transparent advertising about tobacco’s health risks. The industry has faced costly legal battles related to the marketing and advertising of its products. Marketing for combustible and new non-combustible products have to balance regulatory requirements with the need to reach new markets. Failing to properly manage social externalities may lead to further unfavourable regulation and erode the industry’s social license to operate. Entities that effectively manage this issue can reduce the likelihood of extraordinary expenses, improve market share, and decrease liabilities.